The Ocean In My Eyes
by 3DY3Namite
Summary: The Aftermath of Pein Arc  spoilers . Naruto finds himself in a rare pessimistic abyss as he contemplates what he has ahead of him...One-shot, songfic based on the Naruto Opening "Diver" by "NICO Touches the Walls."


Naruto

Songfic

I will admit, this would be better put together in an AMV, but I can't wait that long, so bear with me!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or "Diver" by NICO Touches the Walls.

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><p>The frigid air hit my back. I was falling. I kept my eyes open, despite how much the air stung. Just one last glimpse at the open sky before…<p>

And I plunged.

The water broke as I fell, although honestly it felt like I hit a slab of concrete. But the pain reduced to a dull throb as I was lost in the ocean.

I only saw the sky for the briefest of moments before sinking into darkness, increasing shade after shade.

_This is nothing, I can handle this._ An optimistic thought brightened my thoughts just for a moment.

_I was alone…the villagers had all hated me…they're eyes were cold…colder than anything imaginable._ As I kept sinking like rock towards the bottom, I felt the temperature of the water change at a rapid pace.

Soon I began to see the faint, but existing glint of sharpened metal out of the corner of my eye. Long slabs of steel sticking upwards, ready to stab anything falling in its path. I somehow managed through those.

_I got through everything, though. I made bonds…I proved that I was worth something…now everyone believes in me…but…_

I saw figures standing in the water. Red clouds on black: Akatsuki.

_How the hell am I supposed to do this...I've got the village to worry about, my comrades, destroying Akatsuki, saving the world…and on top of that…_

Suddenly, all the pressure of the water seemed to slam onto me like a crushing weight. I couldn't breath. It was too much. The pressure oppressed me as my vision began to swim, flickering red spreading everywhere.

I was thrown out of my overwhelming turmoil by a warm hand pressing against my back, stopping me from falling any further. I opened my eyes wide, out of shock.

_Sakura-chan…_

Another hand supported me, again stopping me from falling further.

_Kakashi-sensei…_

Then another and another kept being pressed against me, upholding me.

_Sai, Yamato-taichou, Iruka-sensei…everyone…_

The water began to warm under me, enveloping me with it. I didn't feel cold anymore, but growing gradually warmer, exuberant, alive…

My stomach lurched as I began my rapid ascent towards the surface of the ocean, my comrades and close friends supporting me the whole way through.

Then, I was in the air.

I took a moment or two to feel the warm sun rays hit me, the cool, inviting air swirling around me. Then, I jerked upright after a tumble in the air and put on a determined face.

_Everyone…_

I grabbed my hitai-ate.

_Thank you._

I put in on while still in the air, aiming for one thing I saw below, in the grasps of the dark ocean.

_Sasuke._

And once again, I began my plunge.

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><p>But this time was different. I focused on nothing else than my close friend, my first real comrade, one of the ones to save me…my brother.<p>

I kicked furiously, already in Sage Mode.

_I'm not going to let you out of my sight. Never. Just you wait…_

I paddled harder.

_You'll be back in Konoha in no time, laughing with us again, just like old times…all four of us._

But some things never changed.

The same darkness that tried to attack me advanced on me again. I couldn't see anything in front of me as Sasuke just disappeared into the darkness.

I was forced to drag my attention away from him and at the darkness around me. Confused and irritated, I angrily looked around for a source. This feeling…

Suddenly, a brutal hand strangled me around my neck and added more force. I was taken by full surprise and let out a choked yell, only for it to escape in useless bubbles.

Oxygen began to leave my system. My eyes grew weary, but I got a glimpse of my tormenter. A purple mask covering the man's whole head with two eye holes that looked unbelievably familiar, with rings encircling all around it, like ripples…

Already fighting back, after I had figured out who it was, I fought harder, kicking and desperately trying to gain the upper hand.

_Uchiha Madara!_

But his vice grip never wavered as I slowly began to slip into nothingness.

_No…I can't end here! The damn Akatsuki!_

Then, as if it wasn't enough, I felt another hand, then another, and another gripping my neck, adding sheer force into my weak spot.

_The rest…No…_

Then, a glowing light seemed to eradicate all of the darkness, sending it away like a scared forest animal. With my remaining strength, although some returning, I glanced to my right to see who it was.

My eyes widened as the glowing man turned his head to me and gave me a warm smile.

_Dad…_

Another glowing figure caught my attention to my left and I turned my head to see another familiar face, giving me another loving smile.

_Mom…_

Confidence and faith swelled in my heart as I saw a final figure in front of me.

_Ero-sennin…_

Suddenly, a new chakra blazed within me. The Kyuubi. But it was different. No malice laced the chakra, no dark forces seemed to be disturbing the flow. I felt power gushing into my system as I opened my eyes, after having closed them shut, to see me with fire-like chakra practically dancing around me. I only took a brief moment to marvel in my new founding power.

The darkness having gone, saw that I was alone, and returned in the blink of an eye and I was face to face with sole reason of my problems.

Then we clashed. I aimed to kill him in one shot, but I knew that wasn't happening.

Uchiha Madara and I fought tirelessly, exchanging blows, but never going any further than seeing each other's fury.

_The Fourth Great Ninja War…Everyone's out there, every shinobi in the Five Great Countries, fighting for me…and Uncle Bee…I can't just sit around on my lazy ass doing nothing!_

I used everything I knew and threw it at him, Kage Bunshin, Rasengan, original and all variations, until I finally had the landing shot to take me home.

To him.

To Sasuke.

I beat down Madara, but my joy didn't last for long.

_Everyone's safe now. There's Gaara, Tsunade-baa-chan, Kakashi-sensei, and others to help. Now, it's my turn._

I closed my eyes, spared a short breather, and prepared myself.

Then, my eyes shot open and I looked to the never ending depths of this ocean. With one last breath, I took off.

I swam like a speeding knife through the water, only aiming for one and only one goal.

Sasuke.

I met him on the ocean floor and everything was stripped off by then. So was he. It was just him and me, facing one another. If it wasn't for what the outcome would cost, I would have seen this as another spar. But the stakes were too high for me to joke around.

My new chakra had been shed off as I had swum deeper depths and I felt no life where I was, so Sage Mode was out of the idea.

I didn't see the Sharingan on Sasuke, just his now heartless eyes. I didn't see any force of chakra or power around him. Just us two, standing in front of one another.

As images flashed in my head of Team 7, we raced towards each other, weapons at the ready in our hands, and everything seemed to slow to a stop as we met, one positioning the blade right at the other's neck for the death blow.

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><p>It's not as elaborate or deep as "Understood" because this was taken out of my imagination and meant for an AMV or an extended opening, but since I don't have the equipment to make either of those, fanfiction was next.<p>

Anyhow, please review, I'd really like some feedback on how this one went.

Thanks!

-Namite


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